Family suspected in rash of retail thefts, one woman arraigned

One person in a family trio of suspected shoplifters was recently arraigned in Oakland County Circuit Court and is said to be tied to several other incidents throughout the county.

The woman, Misty Miller, was arraigned Saturday at the Oakland County Circuit Court for retail fraud and obstructing police in West Bloomfield Jan. 25.

“We suspect that they were all working together,” said West Bloomfield Lt. Tim Diamond Tuesday.

The West Bloomfield incident was only one in an apparent string of thefts.

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Miller, 38, and her 18-year-old daughter were suspected of stealing a woman’s purse at a Lake Orion church dinner Jan. 20 after they allegedly asked parishioners for money.

According to the victim’s husband, individuals from the potluck asked the woman what was the matter. She said she came from Tennessee to get her daughter out of foster care.

And the story only gets weirder.

“(Miller) has an extradition warrant from Tennessee, an outstanding (open charge) warrant in Waterford and an obstruction charge” in West Bloomfield, along with the retail fraud charge, said Orion Township Lt. Dan Toth.

The incident tied to the West Bloomfield arraignment began at a Kroger off Orchard Lake and Lone Pine roads.

“An employee (saw) and heard (a) woman talking with someone on the phone about Rogaine and face cream,” said Diamond. “She filled black bags she brought with her with items from the shelves.”

Diamond and his West Bloomfield Police colleagues believe Miller was specifically targeting brands like Rogaine, Oil of Olay face cream and Prilosec antacid pills with the intention of selling them somewhere else.

“This really struck a note as far as scams and frauds — to come into church and ask for money, only to steal from someone who was already giving to you,” said Toth.

A man in his 40s who has a connection with the two women is also being investigated.

Toth said Orion deputies learned that the three suspects had been staying at Waterford’s Highlander Motel for the last 10 days after leaving Tennessee.

The three are being investigated for other area property theft crimes in Waterford Township, as well.

“We feel that due to their circumstances, they were just getting started shoplifting in Oakland County,” said Toth. “Evidence from the motel and receipts found supported that this was an ongoing crime enterprise, if you will.”

Toth said he’s glad that information-sharing protocols between area law enforcement entities worked out well.

Miller was put on $5,000 bond for the West Bloomfield shoplifting incident. In the Waterford open charge, she remains on a $10,000 bond. She also has three bench warrants in the 48th District Court, said Toth.